


Love, Keith.

by BRR77872



Category: Love Simon (2018), Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Alternate Universe- Love Simon, F/M, I’ll add more characters later, M/M, Simone vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Au, Voltron au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-17 16:22:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14192937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BRR77872/pseuds/BRR77872
Summary: Keith’s not exactly an open person. He’s not open about his feelings, his past or his sexual identity.Because being gay in Altea Prep is like signing a death certificate.He’s careful, always careful, especially with the emails he shares with Blue, his pen pal, but one mindless mistake sends his world spiraling out of control and now he’s being blackmailed by the schools resident popular boy: Lotor.Keith’s not sure how the whole ‘high-school’ experience thing is supposed to work, but he’s pretty sure all this drama that is suddenly thrust into his life is a little excessive.OrA Love, Simon Au with the characters of Voltron.





	1. Chapter 1

The casualness of it all is what throws Keith off, he supposes.

Lotor is a cool guy. Keith never really got around to talking to him that much but from what he’s heard the dude is pretty chill. They’re both in Altea Prep’s drama club and even share the same English class. He’s witty and has this long platinum blonde hair that Keith is convinced has to be dyed because no has hair that yellow, but he’s okay. Not exactly the class clown but he’s still pretty entertaining because he doesn’t filter anything he says. Keith’s found himself laughing along with kids in his class far too many times because Lotor said something sly. But, like Keith’s said, they’re not exactly friends. Couldn’t even be considered acquaintances, really. So when Lotor comes and plops his narrow ass in one of the metal chairs next to Keith backstage, Keith is a little more than confused. And then he tells himself to get a fucking grip because the guys just sitting down for fucks sake, there’s no crime against sitting, even if he _is_ questionably close to Keith when literally every other chair is free.

Keith shrugs it off. It’s fine. He’s just sitting. He’s allowed to sit, right?

And then he opens his big fat mouth and ruins any chance Keith has at convincing himself that he’s freaking out for no reason.

“So…” Lotor says, fingers drumming on his knee, not turning to look Keith in the eye.

“What’s with the fake name?” And Keith’s head snaps around so fast that it’s almost like he’s that possessed girl from the movie _The Exorcist_. He thinks he knows exactly what Lotor is talking about, but the only question now is whether or not the platinum blonde is referring to what Keith _thinks_ he’s referring to. And, for the sake of Keith’s health, he really hopes it isn’t the thing he’s thinking about. He hopes it’s some sort of big misunderstanding. So he gives Lotor an out, because he’s gracious like that.

“What..?” Keith asks, eyes narrowing but voice filled with confusion. Lotor still doesn’t look at him. Coward.

“You know,” Lotor says casually, voice remaining steady, “The fake name you use in those emails. It’s ‘Red’, I think. Why use a fake name?” And Keith’s world comes crashing down around him because of course, _of course_ , this was happening. Of-fucking-course. He couldn’t have five minutes to himself without something turning into an utter disaster, why would this be any different? Keith sucks in a sharp breath, blinking. The only thing he can think to say is,

“You read my emails?”

Lotor has the nerve to laugh. “Well, yeah.” He admits it like he’s just telling Keith that he took a sip of his water or something, which Keith would still have a problem with because another person’s mouth on his water bottle? Ew.

“I used the computer after you in the library. You should really logout of everything before leaving a public computer, you know.” Lotor says easily. Keith really just wants to run, hide and maybe bury his head in the sand where no one can find him.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve got nothing against gay people.” Lotor says, finally turning to look at him. Keith is still staring at him, eyes narrowed.

“And why the hell would I care about that?” Keith asks even though they both already know the answer. Keith grinds his iteeth. “Is there something you wanted to say?” He spits out.

Lotor looks slightly taken aback. “I don’t have an issue with it,” And then quickly after, “Or with you.” Lotor says. And Keith has to bite back a snort of disbelief because this guy really thinks Keith gives a shit if he suddenly dislikes him for being gay. What a silly thing to think. The only real thing Keith is concerned about is if Lotor is going to tell anyone else.

“I’m guessing you don’t want people to know,” Lotor presses on, eyes flickering away from Keith’s face. Keith shakes his head because damn right he doesn’t want anyone to know. This is his to handle and he chooses who he wants to let in. Right now that was no one, and he’d like it to stay that way for a while.

“Well no one _has_ to know, or see the screenshots I have of the messages… but only if you help me.”

Keith blinks, processing the words, and then anger is growing in his chest, hot and fast and completely uncontrolled. Lotor is trying to _blackmail_ him. And not even trying, really, because it’s _working_.

Keith runs a hand through his hair, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Unless I help you with _what_.” He asks because it’s all he can do. Keith’s got nothing on Lotor, no dirt, not even a mildly embarrassing moment, _nada_ , and Lotor could completely crush him with this. He’s been backed into a corner by someone he barely knows.

“You’re friends with Allura, right?” Lotor asks, turning to look at Keith again, hope in his eyes. Keith frowns because yeah, he’s friends with Allura, sure, but so is literally _everyone else_. She’s the Headmasters daughter, just one grade above them and everyone loves her because she’s gorgeous and smart.

And then the second most outrageous thing in a time span of ten minutes falls from Lotors mouth.

“Set me up with her?”

Keith has to remind himself to take a deep breath before answering.

“You want me to… to what? Make her like you?” He asks slowly. Lotor nods his head, says something along the lines of ‘Pretty much’ and Keith seriously considers just letting this guy out him over trying to help him with this stupid request. Lotor is a snake in every sense of the word and it’s pretty hard imaging Allura liking him anymore than Keith does.

But then Keith imagines the stares, the harassment, the jokes. He imagines the word ‘fag’ written across his locker and he imagines all the homophobia, all the stress that comes with being out in a school that’s sixty percent extremist republicans and forty percent democratic. He can see it all so clearly, and he really doesn’t want to go through that. Really doesn’t want to put his brother, Shiro, through it either. Keith just wants to be left alone, is that too much to ask?

Apparently it is.

“You don’t have to decide right away.” Lotor says before Keith can swallow down his pride and accept the assholes offer. He climbs to his feet and has the nerve to give Keith a genuine grin like they’re best buddies or something.

“Just give it some thought. Seriously, I think we could help each other out.” Lotor says, turning to leave and Keith feels his shoulders slump, his body involuntarily relaxing. Which is a stupid move on his end because Lotor wasn’t done with him yet because the boy is a fucking _snake_. A true Slytherin if Keith’s ever met one.

“Just curious but who’s Blue?” Lotor asks. Keith doesn’t know how he manages to look so effortless innocent but he’s starting to come up with a theory that Lotor is really a secret Russian spy sent to evaluate the lives of American students in order to destroy them.

“No one.” Keith lies quickly, efficiently. “He lives in California.” Lotor seems to believe it, shrugs, and disappears behind the stage curtains.

Keith’s lying because Lotor doesn’t need anymore ammunition for the weapon he’s packing. He doesn’t need to know that Blue goes to their school, that he’s in their grade. And sure, Keith doesn’t know what Blue looks like and he may only talk to Blue over the Internet, but Keith isn’t going to let him get dragged into all of this. Isn’t going to let Lotor try to dig around to figure out who Blue is, isn’t even going to give him the chance because if he does figure out who Blue is Lotor won’t hesitate to squash all of his light out. So Keith is just fine handling this himself.

And now Keith gets it. He gets Lotors smiles, the laughter, he gets the innocence.

It isn’t fake, it’s very real, but only because Lotor knows he’s going to get what he wants, knows that Keith doesn’t have any other choice. That whole ‘think about it’ thing was just a ploy to make Keith think he has some sort of option when reality is that he doesn’t. Unless he wants his gayness announced to the whole school he’s going to have to cooperate. He knows that, Lotor knows that and he’s using it to his full advantage. A spotless plan, really.

Yeah, like Keith said, he’s a fucking Russian Spy.


	2. Chapter 2

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 17 at 1:34 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: knife boi??

I totally didn’t come up with that by myself, I swear! I’ve had the same email since sixth grade and never really bothered to change it because it’s a running joke with all of my friends. They like to compare me to that meme where the cat looks all smug even though it’s got a dozen knives pointed at it. Have you seen that meme before? It’s actually pretty funny, I’ll link it.

But to be honest I actually had this weird obsession with knives when I was little, middle school specifically. Don’t ask me why because I won’t have an answer for you but I had this whole knife collection. Didn’t use them, just admired them.

Does that make me weird? Or uncool?

I’m normal, I swear. It’s just been a weird day.

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
Date: October 17 at 2:09 AM  
Subject: Re: knife boi??

If you were normal I don’t think I’d enjoy talking to you as much as I do, Red.

For what it’s worth we all had our awkward middle school phases, even if yours was… more intense than others I’ve heard about. I, too, made this account when I was in middle school. I don’t think I’d deserve to exist if I made my email ‘Handsome Blue Guy’ in high school. I was such a disaster in middle school, really. Once I showed up in high-water jeans, low top sneakers and a polo sweater. You could see my socks.

Weird day, huh? Like I-found-money-on-the-sidewalk-weird or like I-showed-up-to-school-naked-weird?

-Blue  
P.S. I have seen that meme, I love it. Describes you perfectly.

 

  
FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 18 at 6:45 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Middle School.

Blue,

Like I-showed-up-to-school-naked- kind of weird

Do you think I could build a time machine to go back and drop kick my middle school self?

What’s weird about finding money on the sidewalk?

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 19 at 8:45 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Middle school.

Umm???? What’s NOT weird about finding money on the sidewalk??? You don’t know where that money’s been or who it belonged to but you’re sure as hell gonna take it ‘cause even though it’s kind of gross it’s a nice surprise.

If you ever build that time machine and actually go back do me a favor and punch middle school me in the face, thanks.

-Blue


	3. Chapter 3

It’s almost easy for Keith to pretend that he isn’t being blackmailed by the biggest snake in all of Altea Prep when he hangs out with his friends. They’re all lounging in Pidge’s basement, fighting over which movie they should watch for their annual Friday movie night, sinking too far into the worn brown couch, making one too many _Vine_ references and eating a little too much popcorn. Shiro is sitting on one end of the couch with Matt Holt, Pidge’s brother, next to him. Pidge sits next to Keith on the floor, thumbing through the pile of DVD’s she has in her collection, trying to settle on one to watch.

 

“We should watch a horror movie.” Pidge says with a wicked gleam in her eyes. She’s long since abandoned her glasses and Keith doesn’t know how she can even see right now but the mischievous spark in her eyes is not taken lightly.

 

“The last time we watched a horror movie I couldn’t sleep with the lights off for two weeks.” Matt complained. Pidge shrugs her shoulders.

 

“Not my fault you’re chicken shit.” She says, waving her brother off. “Come on guys, _The Conjuring_ is waiting!” Everyone complains but Pidge ends up getting her way. It doesn’t matter, anyways, because they talk through the whole movie. Keith can expect that he’s not going to hear a lick of dialogue from this movie and by the end the most he’ll be able to say about it is that he’s seen it once.

 

“Have we filled you guys in about what happened in Ap Bio today?” Pidge asked, leaning against Keith’s back, popcorn bowl sitting in between them. Occasionally Pidge would grab a piece of popcorn and throw it towards Matt, where he’d try to catch it in his mouth. Keith pales at her words.

 

“Oh my god, Pidge no, _do not_ tell them-“ But Keith’s protest falls on deaf ears as Pidge jumps into a play by play story of Keith embarrassing the shit out of himself in Bio. By the end of the story his cheeks are flaming red and he’s shoved Pidge, who’s laughing so hard she’s crying, over onto the carpet.

 

“And he didn’t just drop one, he dropped the entire row of beakers! You should’ve seen Mr. Macall’s face!” Keith glares and crosses his arms across his chest, trying to fight off a smile because despite how humiliating the story was it’s also... kind of funny. Everyone else has no problem with laughing at his expense and eventually Keith relaxes, letting a small smile grace his lips.

 

“How was I supposed to know our experiment would foam up like that?” Keith asked, rising to his own defense. It only makes everyone laugh harder. Keith hides his smile behind his hand, feeling content as he watches his friends try in vain to catch their breath.

 

Pidge is in Keith’s grade but she’s a child genius so she’s taking some senior classes and even some college course. Matt graduated early so he’s seventeen and a sophomore in college. The Holts are geniuses, and Keith doesn’t really know how he befriended them but he thinks it’s because they all share a particular morbid sense of humor. That and Pidge can see straight through his bullshit, which is why he’s kind of surprised she hasn’t figured out his sexual orientation yet.

 

Shiro is his best friend, his brother. The fact that they’re not blood related is irrelevant, they’re so close that only someone blind would say they aren’t family. Shiro’s parents adopted Keith after his father died and his mother went in some sort of downward spiral. The Shirogane’s are nice people, a little overbearing at times, but they really love him and it almost makes up for the fact that his mother abandoned him. It helps that Shiro’s always there, always looking out for him, even when he introduces new people like Allura into the group.

 

Keith only becomes friends with Allura through Shiro, but she’s pretty great and fits into their little group quickly. She’s easy to talk to, has a great smile, a great laugh, is strong both physically and mentally, and her dyed white hair smells like strawberries. So yeah, Keith gets the whole Allura™️ thing that has every straight boy obsessed with her and maybe if he wasn’t gay he’d be hooked, too, but that’s just the thing. _He’s gay_. But Shiro, Shiro is not gay. He’s not gay and he’s completely smitten with Allura no matter how hard he denies it. Keith sees the longing glances, the fond eyes and the hidden blushes. Everyone in their little group sees it except Allura herself, but they don’t talk about it. It’s an unspoken rule because Matt is also completely taken with Allura. Hell, it’s a good thing Allura couldn’t hang out with them tonight because then they’d all have to sit through Matt’s kicked puppy look when she and Shiro flirted with each other.

 

And it’s a good thing Matt doesn’t go to their school anymore because now that Keith’s thinking about it Shiro’s started switching places with Lance McClain at lunch, each move calculated so that he has a better shot at sitting next to Allura. Which is such... middle school behavior.

 

So it makes Keith think that maybe this whole blackmail business isn’t actually all that bad. Maybe if Allura got with Lotor he could spare her from having to choose between Matt and Shiro. See, this whole situation isn’t actually about him or Blue or his secrets. Not at all.

 

(Except for the fact that yeah, it totally is.)


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

  
FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 25 at 5:27 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: the when did you know thing™️

Red,

Ahhh, that’s a loaded question, isn’t it? I think you specifically asked ‘when did you know you were gay?’

Well I can’t really answer that because I’m not gay, not exactly. I like guys and girls and really anything in between. I’m just a sucker for a pretty face, any pretty face.

Does that make me sound desperate? Oops.

I think the term for it is Pansexual?

Well I figured out I wasn’t straight in the most horrifying way anyone can figure out they aren’t exactly society’s default: with twins. It was the summer of seventh grade, my family took a trip to visit our relatives, and there were these two twins. I forgot how we knew them, but apparently their family was close friends with ours. Anyways, long story short, I kissed both of them that summer. First the girl and then her brother like a month after. We kept it a secret, neither of them knew I was essentially dating both of them at the same time, and when my family came back home I never heard from them again.

Oh God, does that make me a hoe?

\- Blue

  
FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomebluguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 25 at 12:07 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: the when did you know thing™️

Blue,

Holy shit, no, that does not make you a hoe, that makes you awesome. I admire you for that, for being able to do spontaneous stuff like that. I think I’d combust if a cute guy even looked at me.

And Pan, huh? I definitely think that’s much more fitting for you than gay.

Anyways, my story is much more boring. Actually, it isn’t much of a story at all. When all of the boys in my grade were starting to discover girls I... wasn’t. I was discovering that maybe little Timmy who actually isn’t that little anymore has really pretty eyes, and a nice smile.

That was so cheesy, I can’t believe I actually wrote it.

I swear I’m not like this all the time.

\- Red

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 26 at 7:45 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: the when did you know thing™️

Have you even met me? Being cheesy is one of my most attractive qualities. And besides, I can’t handle the weight of being the cheesy one all the time, so I’ll embrace the cheesiness of your last message, because I’m nice like that.

And even if you are like this all the time, I definitely don’t mind.

(And spontaneous or not, I think it’s still hoe worthy behavior.)

-Blue  
P.S. Little Timmy, huh?

  
FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomebluguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 26 at 2:37 AM  
SUBJECT: Little Timmy,

....Little Brian, Little Alex etc.

(You’re right, it is still hoe worthy. But it’s okay because I’m a little bit of a hoe, too.)

-Red

  
FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 27 at 6:17 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Little Timmy

That’s a lot of littles.

Guess we’ll just have to be hoes together

-Blue

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomebluguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 27 at 5:32 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Little Timmy,

What can I say? I’m a sucker for boys with a pretty face.

-Red


	5. Chapter 5

The worst thing about this whole situation, in Keith’s humble opinion, is that he can’t possibly turn to anyone for help. He can’t tell Blue because he’d freak if he knew, and no one else can know because they don’t even know that Keith is gay in the first place. And no matter how much Keith wants to tell Blue he just can’t because it’s too much. He and Blue are on a strictly need to know basis, and that does not include all of the petty drama Keith has managed to get himself wrapped up in.

If Keith actually knew Blue, if they talked about things like school and how ridiculously hard that last AP Bio test was then Keith wouldn’t be telling Blue anything that he already has. They wouldn’t be talking about when they knew, they wouldn’t be talking about anything remotely gay, and maybe that makes Keith a bit of a coward but it’s just so much easier to imagine Blue as some rando over the Internet than as someone who actually goes to Altea Prep.

Which is kind of stupid because Keith found Blue over Altea Prep’s Tumblr page. It’s like that _After School_ app everyone was on in Freshman year. And really, the blog is filled with nothing but bullshit gossip and shitty poetry but it’s kind of addicting nonetheless. Keith thinks it’s the fact that you can be completely anonymous, so no matter how shitty your poetry is no one actually knows who posted it.

Blue’s post wasn’t poetry, really, it was more like a paragraph or two of rambling. Rambling about how he felt trapped and somehow completely free at the same time. Something about how scary it was that he fit in so well with a bunch of people who would otherwise shun him if they knew about his sexual orientation. How he felt like a fake in his community for being able to vibe with those people so well, how he felt like he was constantly hiding behind a mask.

Keith had never related to something more than those two long ass paragraphs. It was a little different for him, of course. He doesn’t have a lot of friends, but the whole hiding behind a mask thing he totally got. He had to comment, had to do _something_ at least.

So he commented ‘Same.’ on the post because he was really too chicken shit to do anything else, and a few days later Tumblr gave him a little notification that his comment had been responded to. When Keith opened the app to look the response was a simple email address. It took Keith nearly two weeks to gather his courage contact its mysterious owner, but he did, and the rest is history.

So he can’t tell Blue, not if he wants to keep everything normal between them, not if he wants Blue to continue to be just a stranger behind a screen.

* * *

 

 

Avoiding Lotor is like trying to avoid Gretchen Wieners from _Mean Girls_. He’s just everywhere all the time, and whenever Keith thinks he’s safe there’s Lotor, popping up out of nowhere, trying to catch his eye. It’s worse in rehearsal because interaction is actually needed for the musical to be decent, but somehow Keith manages to keep their interactions to a minimum. It’s tiring work and Keith doesn’t really know why he’s expending so much energy in trying to avoid the little shit, he’s already decided that he’s going to help Lotor. Whether it be because of the blackmail or because Matt’s kicked puppy look is starting to rub him the wrong way, he doesn’t know. (He does know, and it’s because of the blackmail.) But the point is he’s wasting time, time that Keith doesn’t have.

Dinner at the Shirogane’s is particularly rowdy tonight and Keith figures it’s because reruns of the show _Pimp my Ride_ are supposed to be playing at eight. Everyone in the house is a bit of a gear head, even Keith. Their dad owns a car garage in town and on the weekends they have off together they all go down there and work on cars. Their mom calls it ‘family bonding’.

“The last time I saw PMR they said this really clever joke, I think it was something like ‘How do you double the value of a Yugo? Fill it with gas!’” His father and mother break into fits of laughter, Shiro laughs out of politeness and Keith cringes at the entire situation, trailing his eyes down to his food. Yeah, the Shirogane’s are nice, but sometimes they took the whole ‘cool parents’ thing a little too far.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. So funny, dad.” Kuron, Shiro’s biological younger brother, deadpans, stabbing his broccoli a little too aggressively. Kuron and Keith never really got along, he’s like an edgier version of Shiro, but they tolerated each other and Kuron could be cool when he wanted to. Keith actually thinks they’d get along a lot better if Kuron dropped his whole ‘I don’t give a fuck’ act.

After dinner they’re all forced into the living room to watch the show. Between Kuron’s snide comments and their fathers explanation of what the host is doing to every vehicle he takes apart, Keith thinks it’s a pretty normal night.

* * *

Thursday’s rehearsal is nothing short of a shit show. Earlier that day Keith hid in Shiro’s car before English class because he didn’t want to run into Lotor during passing time. Shiro didn’t question it and they spent the entirety of first period watching _Steven Universe_ on Keith’s phone. It’s nice hanging out with Shiro. There are no  expectations, no regulations. Keith can just be Keith. It’s as easy as breathing.

He gets to rehearsal a little early and normally no one really leaves the confines of the school, even during after school activities, so listening to music behind the building feels like a promising activity Keith can partake in without any unwanted human interaction.

But then Lotor popped up out of nowhere and Keith really shouldn’t have been surprised that the snake found him, he’s a trained Russian spy after all.

Lotor is ridiculously tall, even as he leans against the brick wall next Keith, the guy still looms over him like some sort of Amazon Warrior.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” Lotor says, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. He’s wearing ratty converse and a sweatshirt but still somehow manages to look perfect. Keith looks down at himself. Black skinny jeans, gray shirt, cropped jacket, busted up vans. He’s not exactly dressed to impress, either.

“Yeah, no shit.” Keith deadpans. He doesn’t really see the need to lie. Lotor shoots him a look filled with frustration, and it’s actually kind of funny because he looks constipated, but then Keith’s brain very helpfully reminds him that this guy could expose him with a swipe of his finger so Keith’s amusement dies almost as fast as it started.

“I’m not going to show anyone the emails, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Lotor says as Keith pushes himself off of the wall. Keith can’t help but scoff at him because the little fucker hasn’t exactly deleted the emails, either. He can still do whatever he wants with them.

“I’m going to help you so back the fuck off, okay?” Keith snaps, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. “Just give me some time to talk to her.”

Some people would describe how Keith walked away as fleeing, but Keith would disagree. He was just walking very aggressively back into the building because if he was late Coran, their drama teacher, would have a fit.

“Keith!” Allura basically pounces on him as soon as he’s back inside, hanging onto his arms, her eyes comically wide.

“You can’t leave me like that.” She whispers, looking around like she’s telling him a secret and wants to make sure no one is going to overhear them. Keith forces a small smile.

“I was only gone for a few seconds, Allura.” He tells the girl. She leans back up, giving Keith one of her blinding smiles. Keith wonders if she knows how cute she looks when she does stuff like that, and if so does she do it on purpose?

“I know,” Allura says, “But Nyma cornered me when she saw I was alone. I had to listen to her complain about how she can’t fit into her favorite jeans anymore because her new workout routine is so extensive that she’s already dropped ten pounds.” Keith rolls his eyes at that.

Nyma is probably the worst person to ever exist. She’s pretty with her long blonde hair and blue eyes but she’s the prime example of Queen Bee bitch. If Lotor is Gretchen Wieners then Nyma is Regina George.

“Alright Kiddies, bear with me, we’re gonna be doing some blocking.” Coran calls, clapping his hands together to gain everyone’s attention. Coran is a... unique person. Probably the most energetic teacher Keith’s ever had, not to mention the fact that his mustache is the biggest in existence and he’s so red headed that his hair seems almost orange.

“Act one scene six, right?” Nyma asks, but it’s not really a question because she’s one of those assholes that asks questions they already know the answer to just to hear that they’re right.

“You would be correct,” Coran says, “Take it away, Rolo!”

Rolo is the stage manager which is kind of ironic because he’s probably the most laid back person on stage at all times. He’s got this perpetually messy brown hair that Keith always feels the need to run his fingers through and these deep brown eyes that seem to go one forever. As far as Keith knows he isn’t gay, but a guy can dream, right?

They go through a vigorous run down of the scene and everyone gets into character way too much but it’s a good time. Keith does something silly that he doesn’t really think is that funny but the rest of the cast are having a grand ol’ time with it, and they’re laughing with him, not at him, which is a plus. It’s hard not to bask in moments like that, moments where everyone is getting along. It makes Keith hate Lotor just a little bit less, makes him find Nyma just a little less annoying. Don’t get him wrong, he’s not going to suddenly befriend them or anything, but it’s nice to know that you don’t always have to feel negatively about someone. Even if they do deserve it.

At the end of practice Keith and Allura hang around the stage, letting their feet dangle off the edge as Coran and Rolo go over some things in the script that Rolo keeps in a big binder. Lotor is behind them as Allura chatters on about something unimportant to fill the time. Eventually, though, she quiets, settling for laying splayed out on the ground with her white hair fanned out under her, eyes closed with a smile quirked at her lips. Lotor is moving deliberately slowly as he packs his things up to leave, shooting them glances every now and then.

And so Keith sucks up his pride, shoves it in a box, locks it up and throws it into the very depths of his mind as he turns around to catch Lotor before he goes, calling out,

“Hey, Lotor, are you going to Hunks tomorrow?”

Lotor looks taken aback. “Umm, it’s a Halloween party, right?”

Keith nods. “Yep,” He says, popping the p just to be an asshole. “You should come. I’ll text you the details.” _And then go bury myself in_ _my backyard for helping you out._ Keith adds in his head. Lotor smiles one of those heart-stopping smiles of his and nods all too eagerly before sweeping out of the room with all the grace of a swan. It’s hard to hate him when he’s that effortlessly attractive.

“I didn’t know you and Lotor were friends.” Allura says, turning to look at him with a little grin on her lips.

And if that wasn’t the most hilarious fucking thing Keith’s ever heard in his entire life then he doesn’t know what is.

”We’re not.” Keith says, because he’s petty like that, and he can sense Allura’s confusion, but it’s so worth it.


	6. Chapter 6

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 30 at 7:37 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

Blue,

I can’t really say that I’m the Halloween type. I enjoy it, don’t get me wrong, and the idea of dressing up and pretending to be someone completely different for an evening appeals to every concept in my little antisocial heart, but it’s kind of bittersweet, don’t you think? It’s nice, pretending to be someone else, but it’s only for a night. Once morning comes you have to go back to being you. Reality hits like a truck and you’re suddenly reminded that you’re not the person you dressed up as the night before.

I’d rather not put myself through all of that. It’s almost easier to get rejected as who I am than it is to be accepted as someone I’m not.

I’m sorry, I’m sure you didn’t ask that question as something deep. I got a little carried away. To answer your question: yes, I am dressing up this year. Probably something simple and badass.

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 30 at 2:17 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

Red,

I think you’re right when it comes to the hiding behind a mask thing, but I also think it’s so hard to come from behind that mask and expose yourself after you’ve hidden for so long. We’re supposed to pull on a mask during Halloween but all I want to do is take mine off and maybe walk around showing my real face for the night. And I’d be safe if I did because everyone would think it was just a costume.

Unfortunately I won’t be dressing up this year. I’m on trick or treating duty tomorrow night and my siblings are relentless about me taking them this year. Somehow they think that they’ll be able to stay out longer if they’re with me and not our parents. They’ve got another thing comin’.

Kim Possible badass or Superman badass?

-Blue

 

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 30 at 5:40 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

Don’t you think it’d be easier to walk around without a mask all the time? I can’t speak much on it because I’m literally still in the closet but having to constantly be someone you’re not seems... tiring.

Definitely Kim Possible badass. Superman has nothing on Kim.

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 31 at 8:57 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

*Figuratively. You are figuratively still in the closet, and yeah. It is tiring.

And oh yeah, Kim Possible would totally annihilate Superman, no questions asked. But Wonder Woman... I think that’s a completely different story.

-Blue

 

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: October 31 at 10:27 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

What are you? The grammar police now?

Wonder Woman and Kim Possible wouldn’t fight each-other because they’re obviously girlfriends, you insolent fool.

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: October 31 at 11:01 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

Oh my god. You’re right. They’re girlfriends.  
(and baby I’ll be any type of police you want me to be ;) )

-B


	7. Chapter 7

Blue does that a lot. Flirts with Keith shamelessly through their emails. It was something that made Keith a little uneasy at first but he’s come to appreciate it. It’s just another part of Blue that Keith enjoys, the flirting is cute, makes Keith feel wanted, even if it’s only one shitty pickup line over an email.

Halloween on a Friday entails two things: being able to participate in school and being able to go absolutely ape shit when the school day ends because there’s no impending doom of having to wake up early the next morning. Keith isn’t exactly sure if it’s a good or bad thing, but he’s taking full advantage of it nonetheless. Somehow Allura manages to get him to participate in school, so walking in that morning he’s got a headband with cat ears attached to the top, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. It’s the closet he’ll get to dressing up in school and his friends know not to ask him to participate anymore than he already has until the day is over. Pidge joins him in doing the bear minimum, her sorry excuse of a costume consisting of a floppy witch hat and a plastic black wand.

After the school day ends Allura comes back home with Keith and Shiro. Unlike him and Pidge she actually went all out and showed up to school as Lavagirl from the Disney Classic _The Adventures Of Sharkboy and Lavagirl_. Lance McClain, one of Shiro’s soccer buddies that sat at their lunch table and is actually pretty loud now that Keith thinks about it, was her Sharkboy. Keith hated to admit it but he looked annoyingly cute with his chestnut brown hair all spiked up to match the character.

The thing about Lance McClain is that he’s probably the straightest straight boy Keith’s ever met. So what if his eyes are the deepest shade of blue Keith’s ever seen? He has one rule: do not fall for straight boys. Lance is no exception, so he doesn’t allow himself to look at the guy any longer than a few seconds. It helps that he’s unnecessarily obnoxious.

“So where even is this thing?” Allura asks once they situate themselves in the living room, her magenta wig lying discarded on the carpet. Keith plops down on the couch next to where Allura is sprawled out in the most graceful way, her arms thrown lazily over the back and sides of the couch, her head tilted back, white hair tumbling over her shoulders. Shiro blushes at the sight and quickly dismisses himself to go make them Pizza Rolls. Or, in Keith’s humble opinion, little hot rolls of melty deliciousness.

“Hunk Kahale’s house.” Keith fills in helpfully, reaching out to snag a pizza roll as soon as Shiro put the plate down, taking a seat next to Keith. Kuron isn’t home but really, when is he ever?

“So it’s basically just gonna be a bunch of soccer guys?” Allura asks, grabbing a pizza roll and popping it in her mouth, chewing and then proceeding to spit it out in a napkin when the cheese inside proved to be too hot. Keith chokes back a laugh as she sputters and Shiro hands her a glass of water he brought over just incase something like this happened.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Shiro confirms as Allura basically inhales the water. “There shouldn’t be anything too crazy there, Hunk wouldn’t allow it.” He says. Keith doesn’t know what Shiro’s definition of ‘crazy’ is but he probably meant that there wouldn’t be any hard drugs. As much of a father figure Shiro is Keith is reminded constantly that he’s also still a high school student. Shiro’s no foreigner to weed or booze. The first time Keith saw Shiro drunk was arguably the funniest thing he’d ever seen, and Shiro hasn’t managed to live it down since. Keith doesn’t think he’ll ever let the incident get swept under the rug anytime soon, either.

“We’re all going to carpool with Pidge and Matt so we don’t have to be ready until eight.” Shiro adds helpfully, taking a pizza roll and blowing on it until it’s cool enough to eat like the responsible human being he is. Keith shoves another roll into his mouth and he’s pretty sure half of his taste buds are burned off by now but he _will not_ yield to the heat. Allura is more cautious this time, blowing and then biting. Keith has some really deep thought about how this somehow reflects on who they are as people, Shiro is patient and focused, Keith is brash and tends to dive in head first while Allura is impulsive at first and then cautious after she’s learned from her mistakes. And then Keith frowns to himself because they’re just eating _pizza rolls_ for fucks sake, there is nothing remotely deep about what they’re doing right now.

“Sounds like a plan!” Allura says cheerily, clapping her hands together. “I’m going to get dressed, you two should as well!”

And Keith has to raise an eyebrow at that because isn’t she already in a costume? She doesn’t give them any room to interject, climbing to her feet instead and heading off to the bathroom.

“Come on, chop chop, there isn’t a moment to waste!”

* * *

 

The only person who gets his costume is Pidge.

“ _MOTHMAN_!” She shrieks as soon as she sees him. He doesn’t have the whole mask over his face, just the tunic, pants, wings, boots and  antennae. Everything is black, too, which appeals to Keith’s aesthetic, plus he’s Mothman. Where could he go wrong? Definitely Kim Possible level of badassery. Pidge has gone all out for her evil scientist look, her bronze hair unruly on her head, lab coat stained with a varying amount of questionable looking substances, black rubber gloves pulled halfway up her forearms and she’s got this crazy look in her eyes that ties the entire costume together.

Everyone else is dressed up, too. Allura is Wonder Woman which Keith has to admit is very fitting, Shiro is a werewolf and he’s even got these yellow contacts in that make his costume almost believable and Matt is Han Solo from _Starwars_. They all somehow manage to jam themselves in Matt’s van without any technical difficulties. The ride to Hunk’s house is short and uneventful, mostly just Keith and Pidge cackling in the backseat every so often over a meme. Matt parks the van down the street from Hunk’s house and soon they’re all standing on the porch and Shiro is knocking on the front door.

It swings open and reveals Hunk Kahale.

Keith doesn’t know a lot about the guy, just that he plays soccer with Shiro and the fact that he’s a mini fucking giant with a soft heart. Hunk kind of ruins the whole ‘every jock is an asshole stereotype’. Keith’s pretty sure the guy and his girlfriend (her name is Shay and she’s taller than him and on the girl lacrosse team) could take over the school if they really wanted to.

Hunk is dressed as Cyborg from _Teen Titans_ and Keith’s respect for the guy grows a tenfold. His deep chocolate skin contrast the blue of the costume nicely.

“Hey guys! I’m glad you made it!” He greets them, waving everyone inside with a swoop of his hand. He has big hands. Not that Keith notices or anything. The parties in full swing and Keith doesn’t really recognize anyone. They’re all sports people. Don’t get him wrong, Keith rather enjoys sports, actually, but playing on a team has never been his forte. Sometimes he’ll go with Shiro to the gym and they’ll run plays together but Keith’s just fine with staying off the field, thank you very much.

Hunk is a great host, offering to get them drinks and leading them over to a little corner of the living room where they don’t have to interact with anyone if they don’t want to. Lotor hasn’t shown up yet and Keith is more than okay with it. The music playing is something off the Top 100 and its not really Keith’s style but he rolls with it anyways, taking small sips from his beer every time there’s a break in their conversation. Hunk is hanging out with them and Keith is starting to like the guy, he’s easy to talk to and just an overall cinnamon roll. Allura shimmies in her spot on the floor to the music and Pidge is sitting next to him flipping through her phone and occasionally showing everyone a meme she found funny enough to share. This isn’t really her scene and Keith sticks with her because it isn’t really his, either. Everything is going smoothly, and although Keith is a little tense it’s a good time. The conversation is easy and the company is nice.

Yeah, well, it is until Lotor shows up. He’s looking unfairly gorgeous in a dark gray T-shirt with the word ‘Nope’ written across the chest in black. His jeans have got rips in the knees and his hair is pulled up into a messy bun that could rival Allura’s. He isn’t in a costume but it doesn’t seem to matter because he looks good. Keith’s guard goes up immediately and he withdraws himself from the conversation as Lotor finds a way to shimmy into their little circle. Lotor shoots him a small look of acknowledgment but that’s all Keith gets before the guy is turning his full charm on at Allura.

The night goes by in a blur after that.

At some point Lotor asks Allura to dance. She agrees and then drags Shiro out in the dance floor, too. Lotor doesn’t look happy about it but he goes with it anyways. Matt looks like he’s been punched in the gut. Hunk seems to notice and distracts Matt with conversation, bless his soul.

Keith is quiet, downing beer after beer, enough to get him buzzed but not enough to get him drunk. Pidge shows him a Kermit the Frog meme and he laughs.

It feels fake.

Maybe this was what Blue meant by wearing a mask he can’t take off.

* * *

 

The walk home from Matt’s house is fine. The silence is filled mostly by Allura and Shiro talking about sleeping arrangements since Allura is supposed to be spending the night. Keith adds his two cents every now and again but otherwise he’s relatively quiet. He’s taken off the wings and antennae and holds them in his hands. It isn’t until they’re in front of the house and Shiro’s gone off to search for the spare key that Allura turns to fully look at him, a soft smile on her face.

“So...” she starts a little sheepishly, a blush spreading out across her mocha cheeks, her blue eyes looking slightly nervous. Keith raises an eyebrow in question.

“While you were in the bathroom Lotor and I were talking...” she says. Keith’s blood turns to ice and he’s pretty sure that he stopped breathing, too. Lotor... he wouldn’t tell her, would he? The guys a snake but he wouldn’t just out Keith like that, right?

“And he kept talking about homecoming.” Allura goes on to explain. Relief sags at Keith’s shoulders.

“Did he ask you to homecoming or something?” Keith asks, playing along and trying not to let his relief show on his face.

Allura shook her head. “No, he didn’t, but he was hinting very heavily at it.” She says. Keith has to shake his head at that because as smooth as Lotor is he can’t ask a girl to a dance?

“So, what? Did you wanna go with him or something?” Keith asks and he can’t believe he’s doing this right now but desperate times call for desperate measures. “He’s a pretty nice guy,” Keith continues, the words like acid on his tongue, “Maybe consider his offer?”

Allura looks far away in thought, pout on her lips. “Perhaps. I’ll think about it.” She says at last, and just like that the conversation is over and a dazzling smile is back on her lips.

“What about you?” She asks, playful twinkle in her eyes, “Are you going to homecoming?”

And Keith has to snort at that because she and everyone else in their little group knows that he’ll be boycotting the dance with Pidge. They’ll be over at her place the entire night playing video games and eating Hot Cheetos like the cultured intellectuals they are.

“That’s a big fat no.” Keith says. Allura laughs and they leave it at that. Eventually Keith has to go and help Shiro find the key because their parents moved it’s hiding place _again_ but they make it inside the house without much of a problem. They get Allura set up in the guest bedroom and once Shiro heads off to bed so does Keith.

Keith likes to describe his room as organized chaos. There aren’t any clothes on the floor or anything but the way he organizes his things confuses other people to no end. It actually can’t even be described as chaos because it’s all relatively clean, it’s just a little odd.

Keith sheds the rest of his costume and stuffs it in his hamper before collapsing face first into the pillows on his bed, loud groan of frustration leaving his lips. He wanted to look back on the night with fondness because he had a good time, he really did. It was fun sitting with Pidge, it was fun drinking that beer and it was fun talking to Hunk. But Keith just can’t stop the dread filling his chest, cant stop cold hands from gripping his heart a little too tightly.

Lotor made him want to hide. And he did, as soon as the snake entered the room Keith closed in on himself. He put up a barrier that was supposed to keep Lotor out but kept everyone else out, too. He had worn a mask, a mask he wasn’t used to wearing.

Keith is no stranger to putting up a front. He does it a lot now that he thinks about it. Does it when the Shirogane’s hover just to convince them that he’s fine, does it when someone gets too close, does it everyday he’s still in the closet.

Keith doesn’t know what he’s afraid of, not really. His family would support him, even Kuron. His friends wouldn’t care, in-fact Keith is pretty sure Pidge isn’t exactly straight herself, and even though he knows this there’s still fear prickling in the back of his skull at the idea of telling anyone. Even his best friend.

And if he did come out then that would mean he’d have to step out from behind the mask he had so skillfully crafted over the years. It wouldn’t be there to protect him anymore, he’d be fresh and bare for the entirety of the world to see.

He’d be vulnerable.


	8. Chapter 8

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: November 1 at 11:03 AM  
SUBJECT: Re: Hallows Eve

Red,

How was your Halloween? Did your costume reach the Kim Possible badassery level? If not that’s okay, Kim Possible is an icon and it’s hard to live up to her name. I took my siblings out trick-or-treating and let them stay out an extra hour because I’m an awesome big brother. (But not really because as soon as they were asleep I went through all of their candy and stole every single Almond Joy. I consider it their payment to me for letting them stay out so late.)

Homecoming is close and I’m PUMPED. Football isn’t really my thing but I think it’s just the atmosphere homecoming gives off, it LITERALLY makes me want to do cartwheels and scream my head off for a sport that I don’t even really like. I don’t know, it’s probably because I thrive off of the energy of other people, or some other deep reason like that.

Or it’s because of the cheerleaders.

Yeah, it’s definitely the cheerleaders. ;)

-Blue

 

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: November 1 at 6:40 PM  
SUBJECT: Heathen!!

First of all: Fuck off. Literally or figuratively, I don’t know and don’t care.

Second of all: Cheerleaders? Can’t relate.

Thirdly: Of course I reached Kim Possible’s badassery level. Why was that even a question? I’m offended.

And really? Almond Joy’s? Those things are freaking gross and you’re a heathen for liking them.

I was thinking about what you said about the whole wearing a mask thing and I think I get it now. You’re trapped in a shell of a person everyone else wants you to be, and it’s hard to break out of that shell.

I don’t think I’ve ever really seen the appeal of homecoming. I like football, I really do, but large crowds make me nervous. All that energy in one place at one time is a recipe for disaster. That being said I’m probably going to sit this one out. I’d rather not be in the bleachers squashed next to some person I hardly know. But thank you for reminding me about homecoming. I’ve gotta look up the spirit week themes and find a way I can participate in the most bear minimum way possible.

-Red

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: November 2 at 2:45 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Heathen!!

1: You mean figuratively. (I hope)  
2: There’s like, two guys on our Cheerleading squad I think.  
3: Really? You reached the level of an icon? I’m proud.

I’m a Heathen for liking Almond Joys? Wow. Just wow. I can’t believe you just disrespected me like that.

What happened that made you come to that conclusion? You don’t have the answer that. But yeah, that’s exactly what I mean. You’re always parading around as someone you think everyone wants you to be. It sucks because it’s basically saying that people like the idea of you but who knows what they’d do if they were faced with the real thing, ya know?

Homecoming was always like some sort of dream to me when I was growing up, but I can understand what you mean about the people and the overall vibe. It can be a little much. That being said, I’m still gonna be at that game, shaking my ass because it’s what I do best.

-Blue   
P.S. AHAHAHAHA, SPIRIT WEEK! Monday is Meme Day, I think.

 

FROM: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
TO: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
DATE: November 3 at 3:15 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Heathen!!

Blue,

1: You can’t see it but I’m rolling my eyes. Yes, I mean figuratively.  
2: They’re not my type.  
3: Thank you. It wasn’t easy.

I wouldn’t say I disrespected you, just that my opinion on that poor excuse for candy is superior. The picture you attached to your last email, though, that’s disrespectful. I can’t believe you made me look at that candy bar. Almond Joy’s are gross and I don’t want to eat or look at one, thank you very much.

And I’m not going to answer that. I think sharing things like that would make all of this too... real. I talk to you about things I’d never share with anyone else. I don’t have to wear my mask with you, Blue, and the illusion that you’re just some random guy that lives in my computer helps with that. I’m sorry. I would share the story but it’s just too close to the reality of my everyday life.

I support you and your ass shaking activities.

-Red  
P.S. Half of the guys in school are going to be dressed up as that guy who goes “so... no head?” and I don’t think I’m emotionally ready to see that.

 

FROM: handsomeblueguy@gmail.com  
TO: knifeboi101@gmail.com  
DATE: November 3 at 6:32 PM  
SUBJECT: Re: Heathen!!

Fuck fuck fuck, I made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. Really really sorry. These emails are really important to me because I can be myself with you and did I mention that I’m sorry?

I attached that picture for your own good!! You need to see how wrong you are. Your ignorance is toxic and you need to be educated, I’m only doing the world a favor.

And thank you for supporting me! You should do some ass shaking activities as well because I’m sure you’ve got the perfect ass for it :))))))).

-Blue


	9. Chapter 9

Wednesday is Decades Day. Keith hates this particular day with a burning passion because more than half of the school thinks that the only acceptable fashion from previous years are from the 50s. More than half of the female population walk around as Marilyn Monroe. There are a few flapper girls here and there representing the twenties, but other than that variety is pretty dry. Every straight boy is dressed up as some type of Greaser and Keith thinks idolizing the fifties is a universal straight thing because honestly he just doesn’t get it.

 In English Mr. Kolivan is playing _Back To The Future_ because apparently he thinks he’s a comedian. His classroom is nice enough, it’s spotless and has these purple fluorescent lights that gives the room a calm vibe. He’s got this ratty old couch that smells like old man, cheap beer, and Keith is pretty sure the spot it has on one of the cushions is a cum stain but he’d rather be on that couch than in a desk any day. Apparently all of his classmates agree with him because they all fight tooth and nail for a seat on the thing.

 Today the couch is occupied by the three soccer boys in the class: Shiro, Hunk Kahale, and Lance McClain. Shiro is in a grade above them but this class is an AP so it’s actually a mix of juniors and seniors. Shiro looks like he jumped straight out of the seventies in his white bellbottoms, blue collared shirt and patterned neck-scarf. His black hair is slicked back, the few strands he dyed white looking like streaks of snow. It’s a weird but oddly fitting look for him. Hunk is wearing a multi-colored neon jacket, acid wash jeans and scuffed up white high-top shoes. His dark hair is even out of its usual headband and flopped to the side in a very eighties way. The bright colors compliment his brown skin.

 The last is Lance McClain. Keith expects him to be one of the many who went as some sort of Greaser, but what he sees surprises him. Lance is wearing a large blue button up shirtand he has a blue, green and white vertical striped shirt underneath. He has on a pair of slightly baggy blue jeans, chunky white Nike shoes and a green hat thats turned backwards on his head. Keith blinks. He looks like he just walked out of Bruno Mar’s  _Finesse_ music video and it’s oddly endearing. Nineties fashion looks good on him and those bright blues compliment his bronze skin. He’s talking animatedly to Hunk and Keith’s never really noticed it before but he uses his whole body when he talks. His eyes sparkle and he leans forward, long arms waving, hands moving along with the words coming from his mouth. It’s kind of adorable.

 And before Keith can really stamp down the thought Allura is barreling into the room just as the bell rings, breathing heavily. She’s got on pink gogo boots and a pink floral dress with a matching headband pushing back her hair.

 “I’m not late I’m not late!” She chants, gasping for breath. Allura’s normally always on time so Kolivan lets it slide. She turns, takes one look over at the couch and a large grin breaks out over her face.

 “You guys look amazing!” She says excitedly, strutting across the room to join them. Shiro colors pink and says a quick thanks.

 “You look great too, Allura.” Shiro compliments. It’s Allura’s turn to go red. But she does look good. All the neon pink really makes her dark skin pop.

 Next to him Keith can practically hear Pidge rolling her eyes. She joined Keith in on doing the bear minimum and wears a pair of low-rise jeans as tribute to the early two-thousands. They’re hideous.

 “If they don’t go out already I think I might jump off a bridge.” She says, completely deadpan. Keith snorts in response. He’s wearing a neck-scarf he borrowed from Shiro because he really didn’t have any clothes that were remanence of another decade.

 “You’ll have to push me off first.” Keith quips back. Pidge looks up from her phone, raising an eyebrow and holding out her hand. “It’s a deal.” She says. They shake on it.

 Allura turns her attention to them and her smile falls a little.

 “Why didn’t you dress up?” She asks them. Keith shrugs his shoulders and Pidge goes on a rant about how Decades Day is just a trick from their capitalist society to get them to buy things that aren’t in high demand because who in their right minds would buy low rise jeans anymore?

 “We’re more cultured than that.” Pidge rants, “The early two-thousands was a mistake but it’s okay because we learned from it and now the government is trying to get rid of all the low-rise jeans they over manufactured and they do that through Decades Day. Open your eyes guys, it’s all a ploy!” And Keith can’t even argue with her because holy shit, she’s right, isn’t she?

 Allura blinks slowly in response and everyone is staring at Pidge. Naturally Lance McClain is the first to break the silence.

 “That’s...” He starts, blue eyes blown wide, “That’s fucking brilliant. Pidge, you just opened up my third eye. How was I so blind before?!”

 “Not blind, just stupid.” Keith adds in nonchalantly. It takes him a moment to process just how bad his words sound but he isn’t too worried because that’s how he and Lance work. They don’t interact much but when they do it’s mostly to tease and get a rise out of one another.

 Lance responds accordingly, his voice and eyes twinkling with amusement, having not taken any offense to Keith’s words in the slightest.

 “Like you can see anything with that stupid mullet in your face all the time.” He says, but the words don’t really have any heat behind them. Hunk turns to high five him and Keith realizes with a startling shock that this could be considered friendly banter. That it _is_ considered friendly banter.

 To be honest Keith doesn’t know how to feel about that and he kind of doesn’t want to find out either.

 Lotor stumbles into the room long after Kolivan has started the movie and their little group takes a break from discussing conspiracies to glance up at the guy as he trips over his own shoelaces.

 He looks like a fucking mess and it almost makes Keith laugh. He tried to go for the eighties look but it definitely wasn’t working for him and Keith felt a smug satisfaction in the fact that Lotor doesn’t look good in everything like Keith had originally thought.

 Kolivan doesn’t even look up from his desk, still reading his newspaper that Keith is pretty sure is like three days old.

 “Do you have a pass, Lotor?”Kolivan asks, holding out his hand. Lotor turns a little pink. Kolivan has a reputation for being the worst teacher in all of Altea Prep. Shiro once said that he had a permanent stick shoved up his ass. It made Keith almost feel bad for Lotor.

 Almost.

Lotor fumbles over his words. “Oh, um, I don’t have-“

 “No pass and you’re nearly twenty minutes late? That’s grounds for a detention.” Kolivan says. Keith doesn’t catch the rest of the interaction because he’s being pulling back into the conversation and this time it’s about Bigfoot. No one gives Lotor a second glance and Keith feels a strange mix of guilt and satisfaction. It confuses him.

 He decides to focus on the satisfaction for now.

 

* * *

 

 Friday is filled to the brim with buffoonery. Each grade gets assigned a color and they decorate their respective halls with it. This year the freshmen are millennial pink, the sophomores are dandelion yellow, the juniors are eggplant purple and the seniors choose to do a blackout. The halls are filled to the brim with decorations of all colors, sizes and shapes. Keith has to admit, the senior hallway is the best. It’s a complete blackout and when he’s in there he has to use the flashlight on his phone to see where he’s going. Everything is pretty fucking awesome if Keith is being honest, he even got in the spirit and wore a purple shirt, purple face paint and bandana.

 The cafeteria is the only neutral space. It’s kind of cool to see because it’s just a mix of purples, blacks with some yellows spotted throughout and because their school is ridiculous they’ve set up Karaoke and students are going up to sing songs. The room is thrumming with excitement and it rubs off on Keith a little. Their table is easily the most animated and it’s probably because they’re singing along to every song playing, no matter the genre, not matter if they know it or not. They’re singing, loud and at the top of their lungs, belting the notes off key and out of tune, but it’s okay because everyone is having fun, everyone is participating, even Keith and Pidge.

 After the third song ends and they switch from singing to comfortable chatter. Keith doesn’t even know what’s going on or what’s being talked about but one moment they’re laughing over something Hunk says about his superb singing skills and the next Lance McClain is looking at him with his stupid blue eyes and stupid lopsided smirk that is definitely _not_ cute.

 “I know you guys don’t normally go to homecoming,” Lance says and Keith realizes that he’s addressing him and Pidge. “But you should come this year!

 Pidge scrunches her nose.

 “I don’t know-“

 But then Lance gives her the puppy dog eyes, leaning across the table. “Pleaseee Pidgeon!!! It won’t be any fun without you. Bring Matt, too!”

 Pidge sighs, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “Fine.” She huffs out. Lance let’s out a whoop before his face goes comically serious again and he turns to look at Keith.

 “Keith, Keithers, Keithy, my buddy, my pal,” Shiro chuckles at that and it only eggs Lance on.

 “My friend, my man, you’ve gotta come too.” He says, clasping his hands together. “Come on, everyone else is already going! You’ve gotta complete the group!”

 Keith pretends to think about it. Pretends because Lance had him the moment he said ‘Keithers’.

 “I guess I can go.” Keith says. The whole table cheers.

 

* * *

 

 Rolo is Keith’s type. Without a doubt. His floppy brown hair and deep brown eyes are so incredibly adorable that Keith really can’t help hoping that maybe he’s the guy Keith’s been talking to over the emails. Rolo is chill and quiet and calm and that’s just what Keith needs. Plus he seems like the type to want to be at something as silly as Homecoming, something he’s dreamed about participating in since he was a kid, like Blue said in his emails. And, Keith thinks as Shiro pulls into the overcrowded parking lot, he seems like the type of person who loves all of the stadium lights, who loves all of the excitement that something as small as a football game can bring.

 “Is that a parking spot?” Shiro asks, squinting his eyes and leaning over the steering wheel while simultaneously trying not to hit people crossing into the street.

 “Nope, that’s a fire hydrant.” Keith says. Shiro curses under his breath.

 “Why is it so crowded?” He grumbles And honestly Keith doesn’t know why he seems so surprised. Shiro used to be on the football team. He was the best quarterback they had, surely he knows just how crazy games can really get. Eventually Shiro finds a parking spot and they walk through the rain to meet Pidge at the front gates. They all flash their student ID’s so they don’t have to pay and when Shiro asks about Matt Pidge shrugs her shoulders and says that he just didn’t want to come. The subject is quickly dropped as Allura jogs up to them, waving her hand with a beaming smile on her lips.

 “Hey guys!” She calls, coming to a stop in front of them. She’s still in all black and it makes her blue eyes and white hair stand out really nicely.

 “You should walk in the parade!” She says enthusiastically. Keith shrugs. Shiro grins, because he lives for shit like this, and says “Okay!” Pidge grumbles a word of reluctant agreement under her breath but she doesn’t really look annoyed or bothered no matter how hard she’s trying to hide it. She’s having a good time, and Keith is glad for it.

 They end up following Allura to the teachers parking lot. All of the floats are being set up there, Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. Allura and Shiro break off to head to the Senior float that’s decorated in all black. The junior float is much the same, all decorated in purple. Some girl from student council insist on doing his and Pidge’s face paint, so they allow it, and soon enough they’re marching behind the float, waving eggplants in the air and yelling at the top of their lungs. Pidge laughs, screams something like “I can’t believe we’re doing this right now!” and all Keith can do is laugh in response because he can’t believe it either. It only makes it more exhilarating that somewhere up there, past all the lights, Blue is watching. He’s watching and he has Rolo’s brown eyes.

 After the parade is over they meet back up with Shiro and Allura. Shiro tells him to text if anything goes wrong and then they split up again, Pidge and Keith going to hang with the drama kids as Allura and Shiro go to sit with the soccer kids. Rolo is there, like Keith knew he’d be, and his steps up the bleachers become just a little more eager. Pidge complains about her short legs just a little ways behind him.

 Rolo is sitting at the end row and Keith has to tap his shoulder to get his attention.

“Hey,” Keith says, feeling proud that his voice didn’t crack or anything. Rolo gives him a smile and scoots down at Keith’s silent request. There’s just enough room for Keith to have his own seat, and Pidge settles in the row of bleachers just above him. As Keith struggles to get over his anti-social awkwardness Rolo speaks, not taking his eyes from the game.

 “I didn’t think you were going to be here.” He says, pushing his hair out of his eyes. And Keith has to take a moment to breathe because seriously, how was it fair for someone to be so gorgeous?

 “Umm, yeah, I wasn’t going to come originally.” Keith says awkwardly.

 Rolo turns to him and smiles. Keith’s heart picks up in his chest. “Well, I’m glad you came.” He says. And Keith feels the sudden extreme need to drop a hint, to tell him, to do anything because he’s so curious and wouldn’t it just be perfect if Rolo was Blue? But before he can get the chance to be impulsive and just blurt something out a hand clasp on his shoulder. For a fleeting second Keith thinks it’s Pidge, but then a voice follows.

 “Hey.” It’s Lotor.Keith blinks, turning to look where he’s crouched down next to Keith’s seat. His voice is low, his face serious and Keith feels his heart sink in his chest. So much for talking to Rolo.

 “I asked Allura to the dance.” Lotor blurts. Keith blinks in response.

 “Okay...” is all he can think to say.

 “She turned me down.” And Lotor’s voice is bitter. Keith doesn’t say anything, doesn’t know what to say in a situation like this.

 “Sorry?” He says, but it comes out like more of a question. Lotor glares at him.

 “She said she already had a date. Next time could you maybe warn me? So I don’t make a fool out of myself?”

 And suddenly Keith is growing angry because how the hell was he supposed to know that Allura already had a date? He’s not the Allura whisperer or some shit.

 “Fuck off, Lotor, there’s no way I could’ve know she had a date.” Keith hisses lowly. Lotor glares harder and Keith knows that he’s playing with fire. Even though he knows Lotor can expose him with a simple tap of his finger Keith isn’t going to back down. He’s tired of being humiliated, he doesn’t want to be stuck in a corner anymore, especially not because Lotor can’t get his shit together and just ask Allura to hang out like a normal human being.

Lotor squeezes his shoulder just a little harder, mutters, “Yeah, whatever.” Under his breath before standing up and sulking off to find a seat elsewhere. Keith doesn’t know what message that whole interaction was trying to  relay but he really hopes that this doesn’t mean Lotor’s going to post his emails to the schools tumblr page or just do something that outs Keith in a way he isn’t prepared for. And, really thinking about it now, think about all the ways Lotor could out him, makes Keith a little nauseous.

He thinks about all the laughs and all the jokes that would be made at his expense, all the name calling and all the hate he’d get just for simply liking the same gender. He thinks about it and comes to one conclusion:

Nothing would be worse than that.


End file.
